Training Is Now In Session
by Queenmeow
Summary: The Antieku raid has come and gone, and First Class Hideyoshi Nagachika has his hands full, with trouble with his co-workers, some pretty shady business in the CCG, and his somehow not dead best friend. Harboring a ghoul is punishable with death, but at this point, Hide has a lot more things to worry about, especially when said ghoul is never going to make life easy for him.
1. Oil and Water

**Heya! Nice to see you there! Before you jump into the story there are a few things to know.**

 **1\. I don't update very fast, or even consistently. I could update a chapter a day for three days in a row, or one for every three months. There is no in between! Sorry...XD.**

 **2\. I constantly rewrite chapters! It's so they have better grammar as I go, and continue improving as a writer, and so the story flows like an actual published writing!**

 **3\. While the story does have a loose plot line, sometimes I have no clue on what happens next, this can cause really long update times. Sorry!**

 **Love you all, and enjoy the story! Also now that I have the time please read the summary, title, and notes of each chapter. They usually are funny, relate to one another, or enrich the story. One more thing, sorry about the change in summary, but I've ended up liking this one a lot more! Now once again, please enjoy!**

* * *

 _Humans and Ghouls don't mix. Like oil and water, they layer. So similar but so different. But unlike oil and water, where their worlds meet, amazing and terrifying things happen._

 _This is the chapter where our story is set, our characters introduced, details are set into place, the plot begins to roll, and bad ideas are made._

* * *

The past month has been hell. Hide had to make sure no one knew anything about the ghoul that's hiding in his apartment. The one that the CCG has been searching for about 4 weeks. The ghoul who escaped Arima the "Death God". The ghoul who was his best friend. They're also looking for a human, a human who helped him escape. Centipede was so severely injured after he defeated Arima, that he couldn't have gone far without some help. Blood stains and DNA classification revealed the truth.

A human had helped Centipede.

Currently that human was walking down the street, bright and colorful earphones hanging round his neck, a carefree expression on his face, on the way to his new apartment and his half-ghoul friend. The CCG's most wanted human was a young man named Hideyoshi Nagachika, almost always shortened to Hide. The problem for this young man though, was that he had a lot of problems on his plate.

He has to keep up with his college work, his own job at the CCG, the same place that is created solely to exterminate ghouls and currently looking for him, and keeping up with whatever his best ghoul friend, Kaneki Ken, needs so he doesn't destroy the entire first ward.

Oh yeah, that's a thing too. Apparently life would never be easy for the two of them. They are in the ward with the main CCG office, and the most doves on the prowl.

It may have been a suicidal idea, but so far its kept them safe. Who would look for a ghoul in a CCG employee's own home?

Despite the risks, the first ward was the safest to come to while Kaneki was healing from the Antieku raid. Kaneki had been blind for days, a side effect from the CCG's Shinigami's brutality, so they couldn't flee to anyplace for a while, yet in the end, they both made the decision to stay. Well, Kaneki still didn't speak to him, but not because he was white haired ghoul was physically unable to say almost anything. Cannibalism for anyone can cause mental trauma, but for a ghoul? Well... it causes some problems.

Kaneki couldn't leave his kakuja form very often. It was a animal instinct to be prepared for anthing, and that meant he need to be at his strongest.

The poor half-ghoul was almost completely out of it because of it, his brain turned to mush and animal instincts. He would never hurt someone, simply because in Hide's presence he never felt any tension or danger. Hide almost always had a cool and easy-going aura, even when he was stressed out. But those base instincts made him basically a cute cuddly cat.

But with all that, Hide stills considers himself and Kaneki the best of friends… even though he may feel something a little different from platonic feeling toward him.

He was happy with life, and things were only getting better, He thought to himself. Yet he knew things could go wrong, terribly wrong.

It was at that moment, that moment where Hide picked up his buzzing phone and answered the call that that peace shattered, and disobeyed the CCG's orders for not the first time, and definitely not the last. He began running home as fast as he could.

* * *

Kaneki Ken, a nice young man with white hair, had an awful headache when he woke up. The man at the door wasn't helping either.

"Open up!" the voice at the door shouts. Kaneki couldn't help but huff a bit. People were so rude these days he thought through the murky darkness and twirling clouds in his head. The door wobbles once again as someone pounds on it. Like a drum, the noise echoes in Kaneki's skull, confusion muddling his thoughts, though he couldn't help but to hear a touch of familiarity in the voice he hears. The voice is not his his best friend(sunshine), though. He hears a man with a past full of loss, a man who pushed through life with to many scars to count.

An CCG investigator he deduced. One he had met before, and most likely fought. Guilt filled his insides, but he was glad that one of his "enemies" lived to fight another day. He didn't think he'd be able to kill an innocent and probably just person.

A more feminine voice starts to speak, interrupting his internal thoughts.

"You have ten seconds to open this door or we are coming on in by ourselves. Ten…" What should he do, he pondered, with no real sense of urgency. Urgency was not something he could comprehend as he was so relaxed.

"Nine…" Maybe he should hide? He almost stood up, his thoughts starting to clear, before deciding not.

"Eight…"Maybe he should open the door? But where would that get him? No, not safe.

"Seven…" When would Hide get home? He looked at the clock. It was 3: 27 pm, and Hide got out of work at 3:20. He usually walked home, so he would take probably only fifteen minutes usually. But where will Kaneki be in eight minutes? What would Hide find?

"Six…" Dead investigators? A dead ghoul?

"Five…" Kaneki's head hurts even more, like an endless storm of thunder, but his thought were almost clear, his body going into survial mode.

"Four…" What should he do now?

"Three...Two...One..." He knew the woman speaking, he was sure of it. Kaneki's guilt would never let him forget someone he wronged. This woman, a high ranking investigator, is the daughter of the man he assisted in killing. He may have not killed him himself, but he definitely thought he needed to carry the blame.

"HEY! Hey wait up!" Wait… is that Hide? A wave of relief hit him, before a touch of confusion. Hide shouldn't be home yet.

"Nagachika?" the woman says.

"What are you doing here? It's not safe!" The male investigator says.

"You guys may be my superiors, but Akira is the only one with common sense." Hide mutters. " This is my apartment Amon. You guys probably got a bad tip. I already heard the whole spiel about how my apartment building was under watch and stuff because of an anonymous tip. People have given bad info before you know."

"What?" The woman's voice again, recently named Akira. That means the other must be Amon, Amon Koutaru

"I said you guys can go. This is my apartment, and there is no reason to be here." Hide again.

"Nagachika..." Akira starts in a cold clinical voice,"We have a job to do here. We know you may be right, but we had a call that there has been suspicious behavior on this floor, and your apartment is the last one to be checked. Unless you have something to own up, I suggest you move out of the way."

"Fine!" Hide says exasperated. "Just don't expect it to be clean."

Kaneki's breathing hitched, he's bringing them in here?

The door knob turns, and the large black door opens in the dark room. Kaneki couldn't help but to be glad that he had cleaned everything, and that today was garbage day. There was literally nothing that could be used to incriminate them, and Hide had helped him calm down earlier so the could go out to do something later on. Kaneki had his eye patch on, his hair brushed, and sat on the couch as fast as he could and started reading his book he left earlier. He lazily turned his head toward the door as the trio of humans walked in, and smiled a sweet and small smile. He could act a part. He knew how to take on a role. He couldn't lie, but he sure knew how to be an actor.

"Hi Hide! Who are these guys?"

After the fiasco with the investigators, Hide and Kaneki had to move apartments. For the 3rd time.

In 3 months.

Its not like it makes a huge difference for anyone who tries to find them, because Hide was still stuck working at the CCG, and he knows he won't be getting out of that anytime soon. Each day was becoming a struggle.

He kept ending up doing fieldwork seeing ghouls exterminated left and right. Plus, now, Hide was one of the investigators searching for centipede, more recently renamed "The Moon". It was hard enough staying safe just doing normal work, but, dang! Kaneki got himself in some deep shit… But Hide assumed it was due to his influence.

The worst part, was how much Kaneki would worry. One night he came back from his apartment injured by a rouge ghoul and Kaneki basically had a heart attack.

"If you got killed, what would I do? You know for a fact that I'm unstable as it is." He said, panting breaths audible. Kaneki proved this fact by removing his hand from his face. his kakugan was flaring, and there was a frightened look in his human eye.

"I haven't been able to control it in two weeks, an I know for a fact that Kakuja training isn't going as well as you say. What if I hurt you?"

It was just like him to say something like that, so Hide had to show Kaneki somehow that it didn't matter. And maybe add a little joke in there too.

"So what? You need to stop trying to shoulder at all."

"B-b-but I could-" kill you, was the unspoken words.

Hide cut him off. "Shut up and let me finish, if you're that worried about me, come work at the CCG."

"Excuse me?" Hide stiffened. Kaneki would most likely actually consider such a dangerous option. He hurried to correct his error. "I'm kidding, just kidding! Remember that."

Don't you dare try it, was the unspoken sentence.

But he could still tell that it didn't work, not as well as he hoped.

* * *

Kaneki knew he should of let what Hide said go, but it was a pretty good idea.

Almost.

First of all, he would need a new name. A new identity. It wouldn't be that hard with the connections he had. Just ask Itori or Uta, and they could probably tell him where to forge some new documents… Second, he would need a new look even with his awesome memories, he couldn't get himself to dye completely. it would remind himself of the person he no longer was. A combination of his human self and his new ghoul side. Maybe just a little bit of black at the top…Thirdly, he also would have to moderate his skills a lot, he couldn't have his super human strength for no , he have to find a position that he could keep hide safe, without him knowing. That would definitely be the hardest.

But, even in this situation, there was a silver lining. After all, the CCG were always hiring for the field.


	2. Purge of the 20th

_An investigators view of the world as it is shaken and stirred, but the water and oil do not mix._

 _This is the chapter where battle occurs, as well as flashbacks, agony, plot, and honestly everyone has a bad time._

* * *

It was a dreary day, and it was his first day back. Not a great sign, but Amon had been on sick leave for a month since the raid. But it had only been 2 weeks since an attack on the CCG in the 1st ward by the human and the ghoul... on the one day he was there to check back in. The duo have been called multiple things, the "halfs", the impossible friends, but the name that has stuck was the celestial bodies. The sun, obviously the human, with bright orange hair, and the moon, the ghoul with his white hair and pale skin. That Eyepatch just kept earning up his names, hasn't he?

Eyepatch, a ghoul with black hair.

Centipede, a kakuja with white hair and an unstable mind.

The Moon, who was quiet, unstable, sad, all around miserable, and very, very protective of his sun.

No one believed the human stayed with eyepatch willingly, it just seemed impossible. But during the raid on the CCG in the 1st ward, eyepatch's care for the human was shown fully through. The raid was only an hour, because the only ones attacking were the sun and moon duo, and no investigators knew where to go. When someone finally caught up with them, they had already destroyed all files on rabbit, the gourment, the devil ape, the black dober, eyepatch and centipede, and so many more. Battle had immediately commenced, but that's when everything went wrong. Not for eyepatch, but for the human. Somehow, the human had a quinque, and was holding his own, until someone finally landed a hit. There was a blood curdling screech from eyepatch, and his kakuja had then taken form and he became Centipede. Everything after that was complete annihilation.

Centipede had picked up the human and ran with whirlwind speed out of the building, but he had time to leave notes behind.

"The 20th ward is ours. Do not send CCG there or they will be ruined."

"There will be no more deaths, human or ghoul."

"We hunt, we prey, and use the dead as they are more use to us dead than alive. We taunt the living with the ones we have killed. Now who are we talking about?"

"Ghouls are faster, stronger, smarter, yet humans think themself better. Why?"

The whole CCG had been shaken up. A day after the attack, warnings were left in the 20th ward building to leave. Anyone left will be forced to leave, and oh how they followed through. Explosions were heard all through Tokyo, but somehow no one was killed. People living in the 20th never knew that the CCG was forced out, they never learned they had left even. Those who were in the explosion told authorities that they were carried out by the ghoul, and the human was watching from the roof, controlling everything. The threat of these two kept rising and rising, and then after 2 weeks, they went were planning. Something had happened, but no one knew, no one until they forced the investigators out. He had encountered eyepatch during his his check in to CCG building, and there was definitely something wrong. First of all, the moment Eyepatch saw Amon, he had told the investigator to flee. They both had been wearing masks, The human's was a half mask covering only one of his eyes in a crescent shape in bright colors like the sun and eyepatch was wearing his normal mask. Then, Amon noticed how undernourished eyepatch looked. He had obviously not eaten in weeks, yet, as soon as battle commenced, you wouldn't of been able to tell.

* * *

 _(flashback)_

* * *

Sparks crossed, and blood was being spilled. Reinforcements had not been sent out, because it seems their unexpected guest had follows the "nobody will notice if there is nobody to notice" ideology.

Running down the halls, Akira at his side, agents were strewn across the floor. At first, Amon was horrified, until it seemed that they weren't dead, simply knocked out. A hassle for any attacker to pursue that kind of strategy, so it must have been for a reason. Kneeling down quickly, checking for a heartbeat, Amon was awarded with a faint but steady thumping.

"They're alive," he sighs relief evident.

"But why?" Akira says thoughtfully.

Amon has no time to think in the circumstances, as the sounds of battle are heard down the hall, out in the foyer.

"Doesn't matter. Let's go." She says answering her own question,before starting to activate her quinque and darting down the hallway. Amon stumbles down behind her, activating his own weapon and hopes for a non-bloody battle.

Long story short, his hopes were not granted. Blood was spilled yet no investigator died. Only knocked out as seen earlier, most with the worst injuries being long but superficial scratches. An even odder circumstances, was that the only attacker seen was a young blond man with a half mask designed after the sun, and was using a quinque. He was also very obviously not a ghoul. The attacker was very much human.

His quinque was, awkward to say the least. It was patch worked, and definitely not harvested from the kakhou, but obviously a rinkaku type, with parts of the weapon word be hard, shiny, and black, but then fading away to a soft red. There were 3 tentacles, and they looked like they had been cut off then glued back together with a pulsing dark red goo and the base. Then it got worse. The "goo" as Amon dubbed it, wrapped around the attackers right arm like ribbons, almost like a long handed glove. The quinque had basically melted into the man's arm.

But the worst part, was that the attacker wielded it beautifully.

"Look out!" Akira screamed, pushing Amon out of the way. A wayward rinkaku tentacle slammed into the floor, concrete groaning under the pressure. A group of lesser investigators was swung to the side as the attacker ran across the open foyer.

"Who even is this guy?" Amon mutters under his breath. He turns on his radio and calls for reinforcements, these CCG investigators were not ready for battle. He looked at the men on the ground in pity, most likely had no choice but to become investigators for the money, and definitely did not have the heart, soul, mind, or body for being a CCG officer.

Amon and Akira both jump at the same time as the invader swings his quinque at the duo. The tentacles almost seem alive, like the arata armor, as it creeps like a snake toward Akira's leg. It grabs her, and the masked attacker swings back his arm as if to through her into the wall, before Akira slices the thin tentacle of on the main body. The quinque, if it could still be called that, pulls back, and the "beheaded" tentacle Melts into the rest of the weapon. The remaining tentacles are suddenly much longer, wider, and stronger. In retaliation, the partner investigators attack with renewed vigor, matching strikes for strike.

It was a difficult battle, and both sides had multiple wounds as both battled for their goals, until suddenly Akira got a hit on their opponent. The man dealt with small scratches, bruises and bumps exceptionally well, and he needed to with how much he was bouncing around. But no human cold handle this without extreme pain. A deep and long cut was detailed down the sun masked man's chest with flowing blood as he let out a guttural cry of pain. The battle was won.

The masked man lets out a huff, and mutters almost unitelliglbly, "Well shit, he's not gonna like this."

Akira and Amon have no time to proves what was said as another scream was heard throughout the building, but too wild, feral, and terrifying to be human. Scratching, and the sound of too quick footsteps were the only warning as a new player joined the battle. The SS rated Centipede has entered the battlefield!

* * *

Despite what others may think, Amon did have a sense of self preservation. The fact was that he ignored it, in favor of protecting his allies and peers. He could understand putting your life on the line for the ones you care about.

But, considering his upbringing, he was prejudiced. Loyalty was not something commonly presented in ghoul behavior. Ghouls created partnerships, allied themselves to the more powerful for protection, but he had never seen them put their lives on the line for others. ( _his thoughts distinctly avoided a rainy day, a mother protecting her child, robbed of her last words_ ) Especially not for such a high ranking ghoul.

Yet, that was exactly what was happening.

Rinkaku tentacles tossed around, striking the floor where Amon and Akira stood. Akira gracefully jumped for side to side, narrowly avoiding each blow, and failing to avoid some. The attacks were not as heavy as one would expect from such a high ranking enemy, yet, each blow that landed graced their bodies with nothing more than shallow, long scratches. That's not to say though, that the danger was low. For each scratch the Special Class and Rank 1 investigators received, a lower investigator would have received brutally fatal wounds. It was only after months of training between the two, and life experience that kept the partners alive and in sync.

Though, there was one thing that was bothering Amon. Their first attacker lay on the floor, his back against the wall, injured, yet despite his masked face and only one eye visible, amusement was clear on his face. He seemed to be silently laughing, even with the brutal fight going on before him. His quinque had withdrawn, almost like it had conscious thought, knowing that its battle was over, into its original form. Amon had only seen a quinque display sentience once before, with Shinohara's Arata armor. Quinques design take after their original owners, and in a disturbing way almost had their own personality( the personalities of their dead owners) , but only in the more powerful ones. Kakujas were a example of this, and even though Amon was avoiding the possibility, it was most likely that this man, a human that had never been seen before, had conquered a Kakuja, and had the skills, smarts, connections, and equipment to create a quinque.

Amon truly feared him, despite of just recently defeating him in battle.

The worst was yet to come though. Faster than humanly possible, Centipede was suddenly behind him, and time gained a syrupy quality.

It was unlucky that Amon had such a tolerance to pain. A lesser human's brain would have most likely shut off all pain receptors, dampening all senses as the bled out. But, Amon, he grew up with pain as a constant companion along with regret, loss, and unhealthy determination. With that fact, Amon was in brutal agony as a red limb burst through his side, not hitting most important organs, but tearing through muscle until there was a gaping hole in his side.

Amon slumped against the floor, exhausted, with a will to fight, but his body unable. If his vision was just a little less foggy and he turned his head slightly to the left, he would have seen a young man with colorless hair, no older than 20 with his small frame, and his mask dissipate, regret and fear on his face as. He would has seen the man's companion knockout Akira. If his ears were a little clearer, he would hear whispers of " Oh no. ","Oh my god. "," Call your superiors, please ","They need help!","I can't,won't be a murderer ", and small comforting and sweet words to calm the frantic man. He would have heard human emotions on a ghoul. He would have had his eyes opened.

But, as it was, Amon was already unconscious, and their attackers had just fled.


	3. Bad Ideas Are Good to Some

**_i live off your reviews, favorites, and follows. please my family is starving._**

* * *

 _Interrogation is not fun for anyone around!_

 _This chapter include psychology for dummies, me attempting to be formal, me attempting an interview, me attempting to actually write, and some plot in there somewhere._

* * *

A young man, legally born on a couple hours before, was sitting in the lobby of a large, sparkling white building. He was sitting nervously in one of the lounge chairs, his back erect, and his hands clammy while he was holding his coffee cup. All the legal work had been done, and suddenly a new person existed. His name was Haise Sasaki, twenty-two years old, born on April second, with no living relatives. He was home schooled before attending college and passing with flying colors, but of course, he was very studious and made no lasting friendships. It was like he didn't exist in anything but documents.

Haise quickly took a sip of his coffee, the scalding bitter taste calming him slightly with it's familiarity. He was too nervous, and for no reason! Uta and Itori had made the paper trail seem real. He had great-great grandparents, great grandparents, two grandfathers, his father died from pneumonia while Haise was young, and his mother he had never known, presumed dead. His father had a sister who took him in, before he quickly got along on his own feet and left for college. Haise had a heritage that was "true". He was completely human for all they knew.

But that didn't help his nerves.

A smooth voice suddenly calls out,"Haise Sasaki!" He jumps slightly, his coffee sloshing in it's cup, before he briskly walked to the secretary desk at the back of the room

"Thank you for your time. Now, if you please sign these, and we will call you for your interview as soon as we can." The secretary slides 3 sheets over, and Haise can barely hide his elation. He looks over each document carefully, and finding nothing to harmful, he signs them quickly.

Haise could barely contain his relief, he got out of all this scott free!

But as he was walking away from the desk, the secretary once again called his name. He stiffened, but put on a smile and turned around.

"I really think you will be a shoe-in! We never get such nice people wanting a job. I bet you'll hired no matter what. Hopefully I'll see you soon!" the secretary exclaimed. This time Haise really did exhaled in relief.

"Yeah. See you soon…" he trailed off, trying to prompt her to give him her name.

"Oh!" she says. "Nira Mimune! My name is Nira Mimune."

Haise gives her a small smile. "See you later Ms. Mimune." And he walked out of the building as quick as he could.

* * *

Amon was proud that the CCG thoroughly checked each person they interview's personal background, making sure they aren't some criminal. It kept their workplace, at least in the workrooms, calm. What he wasn't so proud of, was the fact that if a person had no alive relatives, they have a bigger chance at becoming an investigator. No people to explain to that they wouldn't be getting back a body when their husband died, or why the only remains of their daughter was an arm and what could be barely identified as a leg. No people to explain to why their best friend just went missing one day.

With that, not a lot of people make past the "first screening". WIth all the orphans in the junior academy, it's so much easier for the higher ups to make these innocent children into exactly what they need to exterminate the monsters in their world. But that made those who do even more valuable. People who have life experience, and usually aren't stupid. To be even considered for an "interview" you have to be above average. Someone who would be worth an Associate Special class rank one day. Otherwise it isn't worth it to Amon's superiors.

So when Amon and Akira were told to interview a most likely new employee, they were expecting a super genius, or some strongman, not someone who reminded them too much of Nagachika.

"Hi! I'm Haise Sasaki!" said a chipper voice.

Haise knew he was screwed the moment he stepped into the sterile white room, with too bright fluorescent lighting, and a bare table and uncomfortable looking chair being the only decor. It seemed less like an interview and more like an interrogation. His instincts were going wild, but his discomfort had to go unnoticed if he wanted to fit the role he was playing. Haise was a good actor if he wanted to be, just only if he believed what he was saying. Haise was not a good lier though. He had obvious tells that he couldn't quite control until halfway through the motion. A bad habit that he didn't know he had till it was to late. Haise was an actor... Not a bullshitter.

Suddenly the hair on his neck stood straight up, and not from his normal anxiety. Ghoul instincts. He quickly snuffed his agitation and sat stiffly down on the chair before relaxing his muscles. He couldn't seem uptight, that wouldn't fit his aloof and constantly sugary personality. Despite "relaxing" he still felt far too... Uncomfortable. Heavy footsteps echoed in his eardrums and he realized his interviewer was about to enter. He put on a smile and he felt like things could go well for once, and he was going to do his best to keep it that way.

"Hello!" He chirped happily. Haise looked his interviewer up and down, before out of the blue another investigator stepped out from behind the first. With a contained jolt of fear he realized he recognized both of them. He could only hope the couldn't recognize him, with his black wig and some makeup to make his skin less pale and more... Alive.

"Wow!" He said in a sparkling tone of awe." You must be some high leveled investigators!" He studied the two. They did look a notch above the rest. The duo just had that air. It wasn't than obvious conclusion, nor was it was out of the blue, but Haise was still confused why they would send such big shots to interview him... Unless he was caught.

His back stiffened and in the split second that the thought crossed his mind, he forced his body to go slack. There was no reason for alarm. For what he had seen of the CCG, (while not very much), they didn't put a lot of effort into much of anything other than fieldwork. They probably just rotated the investigators around for the job of being interviewer. Probably.

The blonde woman, dwarfed by the man beside her, speaks first.

"Welcome to the CCG. I am First Class Mado Akira, my partner here," she turns to her associate," is Assistant Special class Amon Koutarou."

The talk man looked slightly miffed at not being able to introduce himself, but had a resigned look like this was as constant occurrence despite him, at least in title, being her superior.

"We will be your interviewers today." She looked him up and down. "You are Haise Sasaki?" Haise swallowed almost unnoticeable. No one picked it up.

"Yes! I'm so glad you allowed me to have the opportunity to interview today!" He gave a blinding smile, his eyes sparkling, hiding a vibrant fear of the two in front of him. The man then gives a small cough, and Haise turns his head towards him.

"This interview is quite... Blunt to say the least. We only have a few questions, and we'll tell you if you made it. It also doubles as a psychological test to see if you have the mental state to be an investigator." At this point, Haise was actually screaming on the inside. He had no clue if he was emotionally stable enough to take a psychological review. Akira then began to speak again,

"If you have any questions, please speak them now, for we will not be able to help you during the test." Haise was sure he was literally about to scream out loud, but he just smiled.

"Nope. let's just roll ahead."

* * *

Things were going well, Haise would assume, for a time. He would almost say that, instead of a detective agency that killed people on a daily basis, he was being interviewed for a desk job at a low end finance company it was so bland. Only occasionally an interesting question would pop up in the middle of the blankness.

"Why did you chose to become an investigator?" Amon's voice was blank and unwavering.

"My mother died when I was young and I never knew my father," Haise followed his own script perfectly, a professional actor at work, "But my mother told me stories about the men and women who gave their lives as police officers or investigators, and there was such admiration in her voice, that after her death I decided to do my best to be one of those people that she adored so much." Simple, and introduced a mother and father character, who promptly died. No connections.

This was how Haise answered. If he had any family connections they were immediately severed. _Haise Sasaki Could Disappear At Any Second And No One Would Care._ That was his goal.

Only occasionally was he caught off guard, and had no clue how to answer.

"Ok Investigator Haise Sasaki. We're going to play a game called imagine a scenario." Akira spoke, her voice cold and clinical. Amon looked away.

"You've encountered a high ranking ghoul that has been given a warning to kill on sight. Most of your squad is out of the vicinity chasing an escaping target, except for one who is being held hostage. What do you do?"

Haise was baffled. What would he do? Honestly he'd do anything to keep his friend safe and alive. Even at risk of his life. But what was the correct answer here?

He tried to look confident. "I'd try to negotiate. Maybe a false-trade. I'd definitely try as hard as possible to get my underling safe, after all if they died it would be irreversible, someone else could hunt down the original target if they escaped." He finished slowly think his words through. He almost said the full truth, and then… well if he didn't act he'd probably fail any psychological assessment.

Akira's look was cold. "The order was kill on sight. You have the shot. Think of all the people that you could save if you killed this one ghoul now. One life for tens of lives."

He swallowed. "That's my final answer."

There was dead silence.

Amon turned to him finally and smiled.

"Welcome to the team, Haise Sasaki."

* * *

Kaneki Ken, disguised as Haise, slipped into the CCG to start his mission. Protect.

* * *

 _ **please. my family.**_


	4. Training is Now in Session

_**There was a dear reviewer last time who helped me save my starving family, and for that, many thanks. But a day has passed, and the winter is cold and bitter. Please have a soul and favorite, follow, or review to help feed my family.**_

 ** _Oh and one more thing, this is just a repost of my fic on Ao3, so the updates won't ever again be this consistent. I'm just trying to get caught up on here!_**

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 _The first weeks of work is where you find your place, your friends, your teachers, (your enemies)._

 _This chapter includes OC's without a reason, OC's with a reason, plot, filler with a soul, bonding, and blunt foreshadowing which I want to fix to be subtle but have no clue how._

* * *

Haise didn't start as an investigator right away.

First, he had to go under 'training'.

As once again he watched other recruits painting, tears glistening, heavy breaths in his ears. He thanked all that was good for the fact he was superior in almost every way compared to the average human, and even the average ghoul. They were a mix of academy students, and one or two outside volunteers, but they were mainly people who had grown up at the CCG. But that still didn't mean they were in tip-top athletic form. One young woman seemed to be pushing through the pain, still responding quick and agile to each command thrown by the instructor.

"D1-8!" The instructor barked at the still conscious recruits.

There was sluggish responses all around him as the too tired horde around him tried to make their muscles move, but he and the girl across the room made sharp, precise movements as they got into formation. 'D' referred to a bikaku opponent, '1' was the skill level, and '8' meant a specific stance to take. It was specific and helped keep their investigators alive… except when they were cannon fodder. He could already see the lines being drawn. 'Useful', and 'Replaceable'.

"A2-3!" Ukaku, powerful but no stamina, be ready to dodge.

"C6-1!" Rinkaku, multiple kagune and high regeneration, strike.

"A1-1!" Ukaku...One by one recruits stopped trying.

"D4-2!" Duck, Roll, one hit, roll back...One by one they fell with only two left

"B9-4!" Kokaku, Dangerous...One by one.

Haise was sure his appearance was going to bring some attention, so he began to pant slightly, and look like he was putting in more effort than he actually was. The instructor looked angry. "Only these two? ONLY THESE TWO?"

Unconscious bodies on the floor groaned at the loud noises. He grunted and walked out. "Dismissed."

Suddenly, the girl next to him fell to the floor, like a flip had been switched. As fast as he could, he lurched out to grab her.

"Are you okay?" He said frantically. She gave a small smile. "Hi." Her voice shy but steady. She coughed at their position before pushing away and standing up.

"I'm Hattori. Hattori Miyako."

"Sasaki Haise. It's nice to meet you Ms. Hattori." He gave a blinding smile, feeling a bond form. He already knew that if she was ever in danger, he would do anything help. She was beginning to return his smile, a sweet light in her eye that he could see was relief, before all joy was washed away from her face.

"I guess we're rivals then. You were the only one left standing." She said coldly. Haise was taken aback and stammered.

"I won't let you hold me back! I will be top of the class! You might be better then me now-"

"I was exhausted too!" Haise flubbed as he tried to salvage the situation.

"You might be a master actor, but I'm a master liar! You were obviously faking to my eye. No one else may have noticed, but I did. And if you ever, ever get in my way, I'll mow you down." He eyes were alight with rage, and all he felt was deep dread. With the look on her face, he could already guess what she was saying next. "My parents were killed by ghouls. My grandmother and grandfather were killed by ghouls. My best friend…" She trailed off before returning with more vigor and pure rage. "I was almost killed too! Ghouls are monsters and I won't let you slow me down." She stalked away her hair flying. All Haise could feel though, was sadness, and a deep sinking feeling.

* * *

Most days went similar too that. Haise wasn't an investigator quite yet, but he was a CCG employee, so he received a small pay every week. As he slipped out the house, right after Hide left for work(at 8:02 every single time, he mindlessly thought), he went to be trained. Today was simply paperwork, seeing that a normal citizen, even if they were dedicated, would know little to nothing about ghouls, so he would have a small lesson and then a short quiz. With the knowledge he already had, he flew by quickly, each question answered with a short flick of his wrist. Sure he had to go back to get one or two wrong, he couldn't be an immediate genius, but otherwise he was above average, and let go early on.

He stopped at the front desk, gathering his limited pay, (only ¥10000 for each week of training) and slipped it into his wallet. He had exactly 4 hours and 26 minutes before Hide would return home (knowing that while hide seemed disorganized,he was on a strict schedule), He changed out of Haise's uniform, and Kaneki hummed as he began to window shop.

He was amazed at the things he could see just walking down the street. People in eccentric hats, and he meant eccentric, strolling casually, gaggles of school girls giggling, raucous laughter and silent smiles. It was beautiful. He felt slightly melancholic for the life he could no longer have, before shaking his head. He was looking for something!

Kaneki was about the turn the corner before his jaw dropped. He was melting. Straight across the street was the single most beautiful, amazing, stunning...bookstore he had ever seen. He felt like he was forgetting something, and almost started walking over, before he jolted. The name. He did forget something. He had been there maybe 4 years before, when he was 18. When he went on a date. A cruel voice, feminine and taunting whispered in his ear. Shivers curled up his back like cold, thin fingers.

"Are you okay mister?" A young girl's voice pierced through the cold. He looked down, a brunette no older than seven peered up at him. His voice caught in his throat as he imagined Hinami at that age, and his mental projection was a splitting image of this girl. He gave a nervous laugh, has hand trailing up slowly to his chin.

"Yes! I'm fine, Thank you." A woman, winding through the crowd, saw the duo.

"Lua!" The woman exclaimed. "I'm so sorry. Was she bothering you?" The girl's mother questioned.

Kaneki quickly found his role in this scene. "No of course not. She was just asking for directions. Your daughter is such a sweetheart. Please do tell her to avoid asking strangers for directions in the future."

"Thank you." The mother sighed, relief clear. "What have I told you about talking to strangers?"

"But mother I wasn't!" Lua protested, a whine creeping up in her voice. "No young lady, we won't argue about this anymore."

She turned to Kaneki. "Thank you so much, once again. Come along Lua." "But, but mother!" He heard as the mother and daughter trailed away. He shook his head once again. It would have been much easier to shop online.

(line break)

Seven days later a package came in the mail. Kaneki quickly wrapped it up, and when Hide woke up that morning, shoved it towards him with his face flushed and turned to the side.

"I wanted to get you something… for working so hard and stuff…" Kaneki's voice got progressively smaller until it was almost inaudible.

"Thank you 'neki!" Hide exclaimed. He began to tear into it the moment it was set on the table, before he let out a sharp gasp, his jaw dropped low when he turned to Kaneki.

"How...How did you get these?" He said as he lifted up a bright orange new pair of headphones. He had seen Hide looking at them one day, but they were so expensive he just laughed them off. He slipped into his role.

"Remember when Mom used to make those paper flowers?" Hide nodded his throat dry with excitement. "Well a long time ago I learned how to make them, and I've been selling them for a while. Recently I got the money to buy them so…" Really he had gotten the money from his new… job. Yes he had been selling the flowers, but he was saving that for something more important.

"Thank you 'Neki. Honestly." All the acting was worth it in the end.

* * *

Despite what she said, Hattori and Sasaki, were not enemies. The fact was, they were the deepest of friends, even if she wouldn't admit it. Everyday, Haise would make strenuous efforts to make her laugh or smile, and always succeeded. Yes, he admitted that a genuine smile, or raucous laugh would immediately disappear, but each day it spent a millisecond longer dancing and playing games on her face. So he felt he was doing his job was one of the days Hattori couldn't control herself.

"You know, at first I thought you were really shy." Haise started out.

"Are you talking to me?" Hattori said bitterly.

"Yeah, and I was thinking I should invite you out to coffee, because I've learned even the most shy people could expresso themselves after a nice cup!" He finished trying to control his own laughter.

She laughed sharply before quickly quieting. "That was awful. How long did you spend practicing in the mirror? 10 minutes? Fifteen?"

Haise took her insults in stride. "I'll have you know it was only 30 minutes. I don't really know though, I was going to look for a clock, but i just didn't have the time." He could hear a badum-ts somewhere in his head.

She once again laughed, tried to stifle herself but couldn't. She grabbed the wall and glared at him, a hilarious sight seeing she was still laughing.

"Oh so you do like my puns! That's good! I hope you don't have a meeting after this, cause time flies when you're making puns." She once again erupted into laughter, her eyes showing plans for murder, but Haise was on a roll. "Did you hear about the guy who gut his left arm cut off? Don't worry he's all right now. I would tell you a joke about chemistry, but I know I wouldn't get a reaction. I'm reading a book about anti-gravity, it's impossible to put dow-"

"Stop! For the love of god stop!" She said coughing, sputtering, with tears of laughter in her eyes. "What even are you? A pun machine?"

"I'll have you know-"

"That wasn't an invitation!" This time Haise burst into laughter before he quieted.

"Hattori, about that day…"

"Miyako."

"What?" Haise questioned.

"My name is Hattori Miyako. You can call me Miyako if I can call you Haise."

Haise felt his entire body lift up in happiness. "Of course! Deal!"

She looked like she was thinking. "Have you ever tried to eat a clock? It's very time consuming." The hallway was filled by their raucous laughter.

* * *

Today was once again a study day, but it was going to be with the academy students, since a 'real-life investigator' was coming to talk about their jobs.

Honestly, it was really just a way of beating it into the heads of the students that, ghouls are bad, and you should do almost anything to get rid of them. Obviously Haise was disgusted, but there wasn't much he could do about it. It would be social suicide, and would probably get him watched, and that was definitely not why he was at the CCG. He was only there to make sure Hide didn't do anything stupid, like he did during the Anteiku raid. And just maybe to make sure that some people don't get hurt. Unconsciously he sought out a brunette in the stands, with her lip pulled straight like always. He smiled at her. Of course she would be sitting in the front row.

She pulled her hair into a tight bun. "You can come sit with me or whatever." She did it so flippantly, he thought if she had her hair down, she probably would have flipped it. He internally laughed at that image. As the seats were quickly filled he counted the academy students and the recruits, and to his dismay found that the recruits were outnumbered six to one.

"I'm surprised, but I really shouldn't be. Look at how many academy students are here." He whispered to Miyako.

"Yeah I know. They all have a vendetta against Ghouls. When I was orphaned my grandparents took me in, and when they died in an attack, I was already old enough to live by myself. The academy is just filled to the brim with orphans who will do all they can to get revenge." She gave a strangled laugh. "Though I can't say much, since I feel the same way."

Haise felt uncomfortable with her statement, for obvious reasons. He remembered a time when he was just like her, believing ghouls to be the monster under your bed. "Are you sure there can't be, I don't know… good ghouls?"

She looked at him confused. "Of course?" She looked like she was going to continue, but then the instructor walked in, with two figures in tow.

"Hello. I am First Class Akira Mado. You may call me Ms. Mado, and this is my partner Associate Special Class Amon Koutarou. You can call him whatever you like." This got a few chuckles out of the room while Amon looked offended. Akira then stalked over to the chalkboard.

"We know why we fight ghouls." She then turned and started writing. "Do you?" In elegant writing, the words 'Why do we fight ghouls?' was written.


	5. Going Wrong

_**My skin is clear, I've been eating better than ever, my deppression is gone, my family is healthy, all thanks to your reviews. I would greatly appreciate more though, cuz im a loser. :3**_

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 _It is in the air, the feeling that something is going and wrong._

 _This is the chapter that includes, pain._

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Weeks of training went by in the blink of the eye. Haise cleared through the ranks, and with ease became top of the class, with Hattori at his heels. The two would be topic of discussion in the main headquarters and the academy alike as they took each challenge with stride. More than once they have been rumored to have a romantic relationship, but through the courage of one student, it was found out through subtle interrogation(read out right asking), that not only was that not true, but Haise was very, very gay.

Needless to say many fangirls hearts were crushed or soaring high.

But even with all their expertise, they weren't perfect. More often than not Haise was being reprimanded for putting himself in harm's way to protect others, and Miyako in the exact opposite situation. The duo could only find a happy medium together.

Occasionally the lower students would gape at their dedication, and then laugh as they found themselves in the worst situations. Haise would soon be known as the mother of the academy students, and Miyako the father who helps you push for more. Inter-student bullying became nonexistent, grades went sky-high, and the academy students were for the first time in ages, happy. They hadn't had parents in years, and the two upperclassmen were becoming the comfort they had needed for too long.

So of course things were about to go very wrong.

"A field operation... for the academy students?" Yoshitoki Washuu was a man who prided himself for staying calm and the face of stupidity. The one who was proposing the idea was not stupid, and the way he voiced it made it seem logical. His son was smart, logical. But without all of the ornamentation and facts it was just... a suicide mission.

"Of course. At the base of it that is what it is. You must see the benefits. These students are the best we have seen in ages." Matsuri replied blandly.

"They are just students. They have no experience." Yoshitoki repeated.

"Yet the top students are as good, if not better, than our Rank 1 investigator." Matsuri insisted.

"They are young. They will be graduating soon. Wait until then." Yoshitoki tried to compromise, but knew there was no way to erase the situation.

"To study at the academy is to become a ward of the CCG. They know that. We know that. The oldest classes are nineteen, some of them soon to be twenty. We can graduate them at any time now, and make them investigators at any moment. It doesn't matter that they are students, if that's your argument, well let me be the one to say it is weak." Yoshitoki sighed. There was a short pause, but the silence was louder than the most pained screech.

"Where?" He finally said.

Matsuri smirked a cruel smirk. "The 11th ward of course. They can bring two others they'd want to come with them, but we'll send a first class to direct them."

"Who?" Yoshitoki asked, trying to get all the details before he approves, knowing he can't stop him, but can sure as hell change some things.

"You can choose whoever you want, it doesn't really matter." Matsuri said flippantly. Yoshitoki had a sigh of relief internally. A first class huh? he already had one in mind?

"When?"

"Soon. We wouldn't want their pop quiz to not be a surprise right?" Matsuri had a cruel smile on his face.

Yoshitoki sighed. "Fine. Get out." He said as he put one of his palms on his chin and pinched the bridge of his nose with the other. Matsuri's smile dropped as he was excused. He stormed out of Yoshitoki's office finally, and Yoshitoki picked up the phone and called his secretary.

"Ms. Mimune?...I just sent you some documents. Please set them down on the empty desk on floor three, room C6... Yes of course... Thank you Nira." He put down the phone. Yes Nira was a ditsy and bubbly woman, but she did her job officiently and kept far too many secrets to be let go. Not that she knew it.

* * *

Haise smiled as Miyako and he walked the courtyard. It was loud and playful as students smiled and laughed and played, a far different scene than it had been before. Despite the noise, it was peaceful. He would miss the place when he graduated, but did remember his goal to keep Hide safe. He was just glad he could make a difference in so many people's lives, especially with how bleak the were before.

"This is nice isn't it?" Miyako finally voiced as they sat at a fountain in the very middle of the yard.

Haise voiced his agreement. "It really is. I'm happy we've made these students lives better."

Miyako laughed. "Don't you think you're being a bit presumptuous? The world doesn't revolve around us." Haise puffed out his chest.

"I have no clue what you're talking about. Of course it does." He says in a pompous and arrogant tone before breaking down into fits of giggles.

"You're adorable." She stated, her eyes alight with happiness. He smiled at her.

"You too silly." He replied.

"Sasaki!" A voice yelled across the yard. The duo turned their heads to see a younger student running towards them on the dirt path. Mutsuki Tooru, eighteen years old, once thought as the "odd one" by the rest of the students, until he became a favorite of Haise's and Haise abolished bullying. No one wanted to see sweet Haise upset or angry, so the population of the academy quickly abided to the new rules.

He reached them panting heavily, leaning on his knees.

"Mutsuki?" Miyako voiced.

The boy in question quickly replied, though in labored breaths. "The head of school... needs you two... in the office... like now!" Miyako and Haise looked nervously at Mutsuki. "It's really important!" Miyako grabbed her bag and Haise's hand and pulled them up. She quickly started walking, almost running towards the front office, Haise in time with her steps at her side.

Not even stopping, or even turning around, Haise yelled out his thanks before the duo broke out into a sprint towards the academy doors.

Haise knocked on the door, squeezing Miyako's hand nervously. She gave a quick glance at him, before looking straight forward pulling her spine straight as the door opened. Haise followed her lead. As the door opened, his heart sank as the individuals in the office look at the two. Miyako dropped his hand unnoticably, leaving Haise grasping at straws to keep himself planted. He could feel a panic attack coming on, and tried to squish his feelings in the farthest reaches of his mind.

"Sit down." The Head of School gestured to two uncomfortable looking chairs sitting empty in front of his desk. They briskly walked into the room, splitting only momentarily to sit down. Haise felt the tension like thick smog in the room, and his stomach churned with each passing second.

Things were about to very wrong, both Miyako and Haise thought simultaneously.

* * *

Things were going wrong. Hide could feel it when he woke up that morning, when he got ready and put on the CCG uniform, when he said goodbye to Kaneki, when he left the apartment at 8:07, five minutes late. He just knew. He did not expect to find a mission update on his old desk, that no one knew he still checked constantly, penned to him, that he would be overseeing a rookie mission, full of academy students. Yes he may have been in the intelligence division, and became a field investigator, and been in charge of many missions like this that he never told Kaneki about, but this? This was pure insanity. Yet he knew there was no changing it.

So they entire week, he planned. He planned with every variable, every scenario. He planned, so he could get as many people back as he sent out, alive.

The entire week, the two of them were sick. Haise and Miyako they just, didn't know what to do. They were allowed to skip classes to prepare, and were given the details as they came in, but they both knew it was dangerous, it was stupid, and they needed to choose people to come with them, to die. They screamed and yelled, but only in private. They cried and sobbed, but only in each other's company. They saw no other students but each other, until the day before where they confronted their picks about the issue at hand, and to their dismay, they agreed. The next day they were filled in on the rest of the mission, and it was set in stone. Haise, Miyako, Mutsuki, Saiko, Shirazu, and Urie were all going on a mission in the 11th ward.

But what wasn't expected was that two investigators would meet as they were about to embark in battle, and things would once again go very wrong.

"Who the hell are you?" A blonde haired young man with brown roots said to a monochrome version of himself, choking as his fears came to life.

"Don't cause a scene, you know exactly who I am, and you probably know why I'm here." While he knew what he was saying, Haise had no clue where it was coming from. He just knew it was a real power trip.

"Why do you have to always have to do this? Why do you always do this to me? Why do you put yourself on the line, again and again?" Hide asked breathlessly.

"It's better to be hurt-" Haise began.

"-Then to hurt others." They both finished. Hide just hoped his plan would work just enough, and things don't go so far south, so he could bring Kaneki back home. Turning on his communicator, he alerted all the accopying squads. "This is First Class Hideyoshi Nagachika speaking. Operation, commence."


	6. A Blade's Purpose is to Slice

_**I have a tumblr blog to go along with this story where i'll post my schedule updates along with teasers for following chapters, and even fan art and art I create. You can reach my blog at .com or just search up Any and Everything TG!**_

 _ **Please send reviews, favorites and follows my way to save my family from the cold winter. If my little brother doesn't stop acting up we might eat him instead! Love ya'll! 3 see you next time!**_

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 _Slice and dice and cut and hurt everyone!_

 _This chapter includes battle, dialogue, me attempting to write battle, and pain like always._

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They were not splitting up. Safety in numbers and all that. The group was too small to split up anyways.

So Haise and Miyako would temporarily be Mutsuki, Saiko, Urie, and Shirazi's temporary "squad leaders". Hide was the only ranked investigator on the mission through the 11th ward war-zone, but Hide was only human. So of course Haise was worried for him.

And of course Miyako would notice.

"Do you know him?" She whispered as they crawled against the walls of a war torn street.

Haise was torn, and didn't want to lie to her, but also didn't want to ruin his cover.

"Yeah. I do." He finally replied and looked away. Haise shouldn't know Hide. It was possible, but improbable. Haise's backstory was one of tragedy. He sighed. What did he expect, he was an awful liar. He just hoped Miyako wouldn't spread it.

Suddenly, Hide stopped. They were at a corner, but even the kids could hear the shrieks, screams, and heavy breaths around the bend. But, Haise could hear more. He silently ran up to Hide.

"It's Miza and her gang." He whispered frantically.

"Fuck. You're not joking? Why the hell are they here?" Hide replied with a side glance.

"Shh." Haise whispered. "Let me listen."

The kids were getting fidgety, and Hide called back to them quietly, "Be quiet or you're gonna get us killed." When he realized he was scaring them, he was sure to add on, "I don't want to turn into a human shish-kabob just yet!" They gang silently laughed.

Haise closed his eyes, and silently mourned the loss of not having Hinami with him. She was always better than him at this.

"…excuse me?…how did that Eto even know?…the Yotsume bitch?… I don't care what she heard… oh… she wants that king of fakes?…no way… the CCG are here now?… fuck off we'll stay then." Haise's blood ran cold.

"They… knew we were coming." Haise said brokenly.

"What?" Hide couldn't help but say a little too loudly.

Suddenly the two heard running footsteps on the gravel.

"Get ready!" Hide called.

Hide was the only one who had his own unique quinque, so Haise, Miyako, and the rest of the kids pulled out their mass produced Tsunagi, a sword like Bikaku quinque, and got into stance. Hide pulled his quinque, one similar to what bureau investigators would use, but really it was an A+ Ukaku that he could use from far away and get rid of large numbers and stragglers with multiple shots fired in succession.

A whooshing sound filled the students ears as suddenly a group of people in long cloaks suddenly flew from the rooftops. Hide quickly let out open fire, signaling to attack.

"It's three blades and her gang!" Haise shouted to the kids, who looked worried and unprepared, while Miyako, Hide, and Him were battle ready. To reassure them he quickly pushed if the ground and knocked a few ghouls down. "They aren't so powerful by themselves, but they like to horde together."

Sure enough,the surviving ghouls clumped into groups of three, but there was one group of four. Quick as the wind, Urie launched towards the group of four. Miyako seem to know what exactly he was trying for. Haise did as well.

"Urie You idiot! Don't! Three blades is a Rank S ghoul!" Haise yelled to him. Miza laughed, and danced backward left and right avoiding Urie's sluggish strikes .The rest of the grunts started attacking left and right with no sense of order. MIyako ran towards urie and threw him towards Hide.

"Make sure this asshole doesn't get himself killed trying to get a promotion." she yelled as she pounced towards Miza. Haise cut down the ghouls one by one as they jumped at him, making his way towards Miyako. He might have to hide his abilities, but he'd be able to handle Miza better than she could.

At least he hoped. Miza was strong enough to have her own followers, and be a Aogiri tree executive. Haise Sasaki was a CCG student. Yes, a natural prodigy but… he bit his lip hard, drawing blood. Too late now, he thought as he launched another underling off himself.

"Miyako! Out of the way!" he yelled as he jumped and swung his sword like quinque down upon Miza. Miyako moved quickly out of his line of attack but just as soon dove back into the chaos. Haise did not want her to get hurt, and tried to push her out of the way. He succeeded and she was thrown back as he cut into Miza's side. His victory was short lived as she returned the favor, leaving a long, if quickly thinning gash.

"Haise!" Miyako exclaimed worriedly materializing back at his side ready to throw down. Haise shook her off. "Go help the kids!" He commanded to her, and weaved back and forth to strike Miza once again as the ghoul crowed out "I hit you! I hit you!" in a sing song voice.

"Psh." She replied. "Don't tell me what to do." She smiled thrusting the blunt side of Tsunagi into Miza's stomach while she wasn't paying attention. Haise was distraught and unsurprised at her decision.

Miza laughed at the two of them. "Are you two lovebirds of something?" The ghoul gang leader said as she swung her Bikaku kagune towards Miyako. The student in question used her surroundings to her advantage as she vaulted up upon a large slab of cracked concrete and dodged, sending her quinque towards Miza's head.

"Eww." The prodigy deadpanned. Haise and Miyako looked at each other and nodded, "Eww."

"Hey aren't you forgetting someone?" Hide laughed and jumped in and shot projectiles towards Miza. Haise's eyes lit up at seeing Hide, if not safe, unharmed. Hide was glad that Haise had not seen how sour his face had gotten when Miza had called the students lovebirds

Haise suddenly gasped looking back quickly before focusing again on Miza. "The kids!" He hissed.

"Chill. They got it." He replied smoothly, like he wasn't describing a life or death situation.

"Hide!' Haise exploded furiously. Miyako gave them a side glance.

"Stop flirting you two and get your butts into gear over here." she said as Miza stumbled back up. "I don't have my quinque…" Miyako said quietly, nervousness subtly hidden in her voice.

"It's your lucky day. I caught it after you missed her head." Hide tossed her quinque towards her, and she caught it gracefully. "You missed by a landslide by the way." He shot another round of Ukaku crystals toward Miza.

"Do yourself a favor and shut the fuck up, mmkay?" Miyako said accentuating the out of character speech quirk.

"Got it." Hide shut up quickly and focused all his attention on Miza. Haise sighed. He wasn't sure if the two would be good friends or awful enemies.

"A human traitor, the One-Eye, and some random loser. Dream team right?" Miza remarked.

"You betcha bitch." Miyako snarled not evening recognizing the dangerous titles and slurs.

"I would continue to stay and chat, but unlike King of Fakes over her, I don't like to get my gang killed or hurt." Her eyes drifted to Haise and he flinched the personal barb leaving a painful sting. "Or hurt them myself."

"What?" Haise's voice wavered as he recalled times of of less stability.

"Sayonara Mr. Sun and Moon!" She turned to flee, and Hide stepped forward to give chase, but she turned back around and raised her arm just slightly, "Oh and one more thing…" she clenched her fist.

A cold wet sound played on repeat in Haise's ears as Miza launched forward to quickly for him to stop, And Sliced Into Hide .

She drew back her arm and fled. "Chow!"

Hide fell to the side, and Haise ran to catch him. The rest of the Blades Gang had already fled and the kids came rushing over. Haise didn't care, and was just worrying about Hide. He was in shock, but quickly got his act together, assessing the wound. He sighed in relief. It wouldn't be fatal . He checked again... If they moved quickly , he amended.

"Get up! Move! We need to get him medical attention fast!" He commanded, eyes like fire.

They ran as fast as the could to the support vehicle.

* * *

"How about we make a deal? If you stop doing this to me, I'll try to stop doing it to you" He felt lifeless. "Deal?" he whispered.

Haise's only answer was a beep of life support as Hide lay pale and sickly, but thankfully healing, in the gurney. He sighed, laying his head down near Hide's arm. "Yeah, I know. I can never keep promises."

The students would be promoted to investigators as soon as possible.


	7. Let Me Cut You a Deal

_**merry christmas you filthy animals. so my parents scrounged up some money and got me some**_ **AMAZING** _ **Bose soundproof headphones. guess who's gonna lock herself in her room and never return? (this bitch) Reviews, favorites and follows are how I sustain my family everyday. Have a heart this christmas! (Also sorry for the shorter chapter this time...)**_

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 _Denied, accepted, tweaked. Different deals were made all the time._

 _This chapter may include a touch of OOC characters, fluff, stupidity, styrofoam cups, way too much dialogue, and wow is that actually a hint of hidekane? What the fuck?_

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"I would accept you deal but... I can't trust that you'd keep it." Hide laughed weakly and leaned his head back on his pillow looking up at the white ceiling of the hospital room. "Did you know that there are more than 2,378 dots on the ceiling?" He turned his head towards Kaneki. "I got bored waiting for you to wake up and entertain me."

"I'd slap you if you weren't so hurt." Kaneki deadpanned, lifting his head to rest upon the crook of his arm. He had dark circles under his eyes, and while his voice had been lukewarm, Hide could tell he was glad that he was already up and making jokes. Hide had woken up only a day ago, and had been asleep for five days after his initial injury, but Kaneki had only left his side the re-apply his makeup so he wouldn't look as dead as he felt. He had barely slept. He had no chance to leave and eat. He had not brushed his hair. He had not even changed his shirt. He was not okay.

He eternally had a coffee cup clenched in his hands and was more than a little bit pissed that Miyako had poured out his, while shitty, instant coffee. Therefore he was only holding a crushed styrofoam cup so he wouldn't reach out a grab Hide's hand to make sure he was still okay.

"I second that." Miyako says, leaning against the door frame of the hospital room. She looked taller, more confident. A quick promotion could do that to anyone though , Kaneki thought as he admired his matching Rank 2 Badge. Even if Hide was still healing, they still performed beautifully on their assignment, better than what people expected. They completely desolated the Blades gang, a main part of Aogiri. So the higher ups didn't care much for ceremony, and the kids plus Haise and Miyako were promoted, at least in name. Rank 2 Haise Sasaki, he thought to himself. Wouldn't Tokua get a kick out of that.

When Kaneki was still recovering and still too unstable to do much of anything but try to sleep at the apartment Hide had confirmed that Touka had somehow survived the Anteiku Raid. Kaneki, soon after realizing that news, had a fucking mental break down. But after he was sane enough to debate the dangers of going to visit her, " You could be fucking killed you idiot, and where would that leave us hmm?" , they had finally agreed for Hide to at least figure out where she was. Through thorough research, more like hoping for lots of luck and searching up the top coffee shops nearby , Hide had found that she and Yomo had opened up a new coffee shop called :re. Hide knew that it was English, but he didn't quite remember what the letters meant.

And while Kaneki had forbid him to, Hide left and went undercover to check up on her. Kaneki still doesn't know most of the details of that visit disappointingly.

Miyako started to speak once again, bring back Kaneki and Hide from their thoughts."I hope you know Rank 1, That this idiot," She nodded towards Kaneki, "Has not left this room on his own since you were injured, more than a week ago." She then smirked. "Even Urie was starting to worry."

"Hah! That's a good one Miyako. Urie, giving a shit about anyone but his dear promotion-senpai? What a joke!" Hide quipped. Haise laughed at the crude wording. Urie really wasn't a bad kid, and everyone knew it. That's why they were, while not okay with bringing someone so... Urie , onto the mission, they at least understood where Miyako was coming from.

Then Miyako sobered, a sad smile on her face. "I'm glad you're awake regardless." Her voice was filled with a sad kind of happiness that came from watching her friends beat themselves up with a smile to make her happy. It wasn't like she didn't realise, but Hide and Haise were some of the best people she'd ever met, and they both had some serious issues.

Haise jumped in after her. "Me too you idiot. I know it wasn't your fault, but can we please avoid getting into life threatening situations for now?" Hide gave him a weird look.

"My dear Haise," Hide stressed his 'name', giving him a look like 'we'll talk about this later' that made him cringe, "You joined the CCG. What the fuck did you think you signed up for? Boy scouts?" Hide laughed. Kaneki's face flushed and Miyako laughed at his discomfort and embarrassment. Hide just admired the sweet blush that dusted Kaneki's cheeks and how cute it made him look. Hide started. Did he just think that? He looked back at Kaneki. Oh yeah I did.

"All jokes aside, we have some news." Miyako lost her playful tone and Kaneki immediately new what she was talking about. Hide leaned forward in interest, at least as much as one could in a hospital bed. A lot had gone down while Hide was recovering, and there was much he needed to catch up on.

Kaneki leaned forward to make sure he wasn't to be heard by those who shouldn't know. "Little Miss Saiko, you know, the sweet girl that I brought on the mission, has freakishly good hearing. And she overheard that you would be getting your own squad."

Hide darted his head back in forth between Miyako's sober face and Kaneki's intense both seemed to have already considered all the options and debated them thoroughly, and were stumped. They were waiting for his two cents on the matter, but the problem was he couldn't come up with something to say either.

He then summarized the situation quite beautifully. "The fuck?"

Hide was still as a statue. He should be relieved yet his short term selfish relief was nothing compared to the waves of terror he was experiencing. Due to his near-fatal injuries he was given weeks to recover, and he assumed he should be glad for that. Had he been given this news only a week ago, he most likely would have fainted like a fairy tale princess. Or like that one time Kaneki realized that he hadn't studied for that science test in third grade.

"You are incompatible in the health aspect, but in every other division you do pretty good. So do your two friend from the academy, and they decided it would be best if they had non-quinx for our instructors." It wasn't even one of the higher ups who had told him the news. They hadn't called him in, discussed it with him. He wasn't important enough to have a say in the madness. They instead sent an underling to give him the rundown. It was fucking Marude, sent to be a messenger.

"Can you explain, just one more time, what the Quinx are?" Hide had a headache, so he pinched the bridge of his nose to try and alleviate the pain, and thought to himself on how silly it was that this time it wasn't just because of how annoying Marude's grating and boisterous voice was. While Marude usually listened to him and trusted him, he even had some good ideas sometimes, Marude could be quite out there sometimes.

"Jeez and I always talk about how smart you are Nagachika!" Marude laughed obnoxiously. Yeah, Hide already knew the CCG were insane, but this was so past the line. The organization that enforced killing ghouls are now making them. " The Quinx are humans with built-in quinque in their bodies, contained in frames. Sort of like our briefcases!" Marude tried to draw an analogy, but it fell short. He coughed. "Anyways… They're still human and only contain one kakugan and can summon kagune, but they still eat normally."

Hide sighed again. "I won't have to take the surgery?" He tried to confirm.

"No." Marude replied. " Even if you were, in my opinion, they just realized how good you are. If you were and didn't want to, you could just give your conditions and the higher up would trip over themselves to assist you." That couldn't be true, Hide frowned to himself. The only time he would have ever actually been noticed , he thought back, would have been when he was in command with Marude during the Anteiku rai -.

Fuck , he thought to himself. That sure would have gotten him under surveillance.

Hide clapped his hands and put on a winning smile. "Ok Marude, can you do me a favor and run it up to the higher up that I accept?" Hide seemed way too happy for the situation.

Marude nodded. "Hah! I remember when you were the delivery boy. Oh how the tables have turned!" He turned around to leave, but then Hide called out to him.

"Wait! Add a few conditions." He smirked an evil smirk."My friends, you know Haise and Miyako?" Marude nodded suspiciously. "Yeah they won't go under the Quinx surgery either or I'm out." Hide stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and rocked back and forth on heels waiting for Marude to process what he just said.

"What?"

Hide then walked away, his dress shoes leaving echoing clacks upon the tiled floor.


	8. Hide, just, what the fuck

_**I'm so fucking tired, jesus christ. So I've gotten to the end of my prewritten chapters, so if I can get my lazy ass together you'll see chapter nine this friday. Reviews, follows, and favorites help feed my family, and can be used as bribery for me actually updating every week. Thank you, and have a nice day.**_

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 _This chapter contains deja vu and filler that was required, so I guess you can call it plot._

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"Hide, what the fuck." Kaneki's voice was but a croak as he stared at Hide after the human had told him the CCG's plans.

Hide smirked. "The fuck," Hide replied smoothly as he walked down the hall, his hands cradling behind his head. Kaneki ran to keep up with his swift steps down the hall.

"They're making half-ghouls?" Kaneki whispered intensely his head swaying left to right to make sure they weren't being overheard.

Hide didn't turn his head, but he eyed Kaneki from the corner and he laughed sharply at his frantic state. "Hmm, yeah honestly that's exactly what they're doing." He turned the corner and entered the Headquarters lobby. Kaneki stuck close to him as the passed by the weathered and cruel investigators and Hide almost laughed at how stiff he looked.

They walked quickly through the lobby of the CCG headquarters and while Hide looked calm and at ease at all time, he saw from the corner of his eye how stressed Kaneki was when he looked from side to side from each high ranked investigators. Hide couldn't quite believe that Kaneki actually signed up to be an investigator with how anxious he looked to be in the same ten meter vicinity.

As soon as they exited the building Kaneki assaulted him with questions, and ran away from the huge white skyscraper, pulling him along.

"What the hell Hide? Miyako and I had time to process you getting you your own squad. We had time to understand the we would all be sort of helping you. We had time to realise that the kids would be on it. We snooped around enough to even learn the name! But half-ghouls? You have to be joking!" Kaneki's voice was pleading as he pulled them into an alleyway on the side, well aware of the danger that could befall them.

"Wow. Chill." Hide dragged Kaneki into a one armed hug and squished Kaneki into his side. The ghoul then pushed away flustered and sputtering. Hide laughed at his discomfort. "Yeah… The CCG thinks the world is black and white. Honestly it's pretty gray. Very, very gray." Hide gave a strange look, examining the ground.

"Dark grey." Kaneki piped up.

"Dark, dark, dark grey." Hide agreed laughing. "But there is a lot of good news. At least what you can say is good news is in this, admittedly shitty situation." He said seriously. "They aren't exactly half-ghouls, thank God, the CCG haven't gone completely insane." Kaneki sighed in relief and Hide smiled in reply. "Yeah. My thoughts too. Apparently these Quinx have a quinque implanted in them, but they're so secured that they aren't as powerful as a normal kagune. I also got the higher ups to agree for us three, Miyako, you and I, to not be turned into quinx. But that leads to another problem…"

Kaneki's face paled as he put two and two together. "The kids."

Hide nodded sadly. "There was an aptitude test, and sadly the kids were part of the few that were qualified and healthy enough to participate in…" he looked for a better word than experimentation. " the transformation." His forced smile quickly turned sour. It didn't work as well as he had hoped and Kaneki also frowned.

"Well that sucks." Kaneki scoffed.

"No shit." Hide rubbed the back of his neck He then grabbed Kaneki's hand and glared at him. "So what about this whole Haise thing?"

Kaneki laughed anxiously. "Yeah about that…" His hand began to lift up to his chin unconsciously and Hide glared even more intensely. Kaneki's hand dropped and the two stared at each other for a long couple seconds.

Suddenly, Kaneki ripped his hand from Hide's tenacious grip, and ran. After after a shocked moment Hide followed in pursuit.

"Kaneki no!" Hide yelled at him running along, laughing as Kaneki barreled against what looked like angry businessmen and people who had places to be without a care. The best part was that he was still in CCG uniform running down the busy street.

Kaneki turned his head and looked over his shoulder, still running and hollered back, "Kaneki yes!", and continued to run away from Hide's interrogation.

"You did not." Hide said shell-shocked. Kaneki's super human hearing caught the whispered words, but his only response was a loud laugh as he ran around the corner.

* * *

"You know, we still need to talk abou-"

" No. "

* * *

"Hide, What the fuck." Miyako deadpanned.

"Yeah me too." Haise replied. The three of them had decided to meet up for lunch. Miyako had offered to pay for everyone, but Haise opted out, saying that he was only getting coffee.

"I think I'm experiencing deja vu." Hide snarked and leaned back on his chair, leaving only two legs on the ground. Miyako took this to her advantage and pushed him backwards. Arms went flailing through the air, and he almost fell over, before Kaneki took pity on him and caught his arm. Miyako glared at the two of them for a short second before she sighed and shook her head.

"Don't be a smartass Hide." She crooned.

"Don't be a bitch Miyako." He replied sarcastically.

"Don't exclude me all the time guys." Haise said meekly. He knew, that Hide and Miyako would fight. Hide and Miyako swung their heads toward Haise and they laughed at how his head was bowed.

"No but seriously," Hide said looking back and forth between Haise and Miyako. "Is that going to happen every time I try to explain something?"

Haise nodded his head meekly in assent. "Yeah probably."

Hide glared at him and he sunk further in his chair, quietly sipping on his coffee. "Not helping." Miyako just laughed at them. Hide leaned forward on his elbows and poked Miyako. "Hey! Pay attention to me!"

Haise laughed. "Hide would die without constant attention. Whether from doing something stupid, or well… doing something really stupid." Hide would have blushed but he took Haise's thinly veiled insult and threw it back with just a little more venom.

"Nah! Dude you know this, I'm just a little bunny! And Rabbits die from loneliness." He said sagely. Hide put his head in his hand and watched as Haise flinched almost unnoticeably as he looked into his coffee.

"Nice Hide. Real mature."

There was a quick cough and Hide and Haise turned to see Miyako glaring at them. "Can we get back to ground breaking info?"

"You're right, you're right." Hide grumbled. "We won't have to take the surgery, but the kids, they have to. I'll be the main leader of the squad until you two are promoted, but you'll still be in charge of the kids and their superiors." Hide laughed and added on, "So make sure to rub it in Urie's face as much as you can." Miyako slapped him.

Haise chuckled softly and began to speak, "We can't change much, but we'll be run down on the quinx abilities next week, while they are taking the surgery. It's experimental, but we all just have to hope for the best." He sighed, pushing away his half-drunk coffee cup. "Hide this is like, really bad coffee." He looked up at the ceiling of the small cafe and noticed that it was quite damaged. "Why did we go here? I know for a fact there was another cafe, much closer, just around the corner that has great reviews."

Miyako looked at him strangely. "It's not that bad. It's not great, but it's not horrible. But Haise raises a point, that other cafe, :re, I think it was, was so much closer."

"Why not?" Hide gave a strangled laugh and scratched his cheek nervously.

Haise straightened his spine and look at Hide strangely. "You always think things through Hide." He peered at Hide closely like he could find his lie tattooed on his forehead.

Hide did think things through. Sometimes he just forgot his best friend was incredibly smart, and that Miyako was unafraid to be blunt, unlike Kaneki. When he was looking for somewhere for all of them to meet up he was startled to find out how close :re was to where they would soon to be staying as a squad. The trio had first met up there and were going for coffee to get a feel for the area when Hide had dragged Haise away from :re as soon as he had saw it and towards a B-rate coffee shop that wasn't as good as it could have been.

Hide sighed. "Drop it Haise." Haise looked at him piercingly and nodded slowly. The trio faded into their own ticks as they realised how screwed their lives were now.

"We're all just a fucking mess aren't we?"


	9. Playground Talks

_This is the chapter where I get yelled at, happy or sad idk._

 _(They were supposed to kiss, what the hell, I can't do anything)_

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 ** _I talk about ADHD and ADD a little bit, so if that triggers ppl idk, skip the first paragraph? I probably am going to use those as actual character traits so I guess this is a big "fuck you!" without it meaning to be? Sorry, but not really._**

 ** _Another note, all descriptions of ADHD and ADD are purely from my own observation with friends who have been diagnosed with ADHD and ADD, my own experiences with severe ADHD, and my little bro who has been on a cocktail of drugs for his ADHD, (which is also how I added in most of the first paragraph, remembering a time when he was first introduced to caffeine and how calm he was, while my ADD friend who was usually calm and collected and model of sophistication, fuCkING STARTED JUMPING AROUND LIKE CRAZY?)_**

 ** _Also sorry for the late chapter? I literally have no excuse, except for school kicking my ass? Sorry?_**

 ** _Check out, follow, and set alerts for my tumblr,_** any-and-everything-tg ** _, for updates on this story, along with comics and (shitty) drawings! Reviews help feed my starving family!_**

* * *

"Maman! Look!" Saiko was far more energetic than usual. The kids had seemed to have gone through the ringer when they got back from the surgery, a couple days later. Miyako, Hide, and Haise were all worried for them with how tired they all seemed, but they all blamed it on the drugs when Saiko ended up hyper off the deep end. After dealing with Hide all his life, Haise was sure that all of the kids were ADHD, with how they reacted to the stimulants, except for Saiko. She definitely had attention deficit disorder.

"...I have not had enough coffee for this..." Haise murmured as Saiko pulled them towards their new home, the chateau. Haise had set up there the day before, checking whose room would be who's, making sure his half-ghoul status wouldn't be revealed, and had put a photo of a cat of the coffee table just so he could make a single pun. Looking back on it, Haise considered it a very successful day.

Miyako unlocked the front door and Haise immediately sat down on the couch, leaning on the side arm, his eyes already was immediately ruined by Saiko jumping onto the other side of the couch, launching Haise up.

"Nooo!" Haise whined banging his head on the side of the sofa. Hide laughed.

"You know, I had always thought of you as a morning person. Now that I've gotten to know you, and know that you're not, it just fits." Miyako said fondly.

"Why is that?" Haise said sleepily, his bangs covering his eyes.

Hide agreed with Miyako "It's hilarious. One time when we were younger, Haise and I would sneak out all the time, and Haise would stay up reading a book the entire time. By the time we got back, Haise was asleep on his feet! And don't get me started on how he was when it was morning!"

Haise groaned. "You can stop now, I think she gets the point." Urie in the background scoffed, and there were a million insults in that one breath.

"Ooh! The Cookie has something to say!" Saiko laughed. Urie bristled.

"Kuki. My name is Kuki(, you idiots)." He huffed and put his earbuds in and turned them all the way up. Haise covered his ears, his super-human hearing forcing him to listen to Urie's depressing music.

"Urghhhh…" Everyone laughed at Haise's apparent pain. "I hate all of you!" He grumbled angrily.

Miyako walked behind the couch and patted his head hard multiple time. "The feeling mutual Haise." Hide smiled, shaking his head at their antics. A door opened and there was a loud grunting and grating sound of something heavy dragging on the floor before a loud oomph.

"Saiko help me! These aren't all my bags!" Mutsuki called from the door. Saiko whined loudly, the beeps of a game over accompanying it.

"Muchan you made me lose!" She yelled back.

Mutsuki sputtered and made a scandalised noise."M-m-muchan?!" There was a loud crash and Haise bolted up from his not-sleep.

"Sorry Mutsuki!" Shirazu said pulling his own bags into the chateau. "I would help, but I'm kinda busy right now!" There was a tower of bags on his head and arms, wobbling this way and that. A bag suddenly slipped from it's place in the pile and the structure crumbled, trapping Shirazu inside.

"Crap."

"Nooo!" Saiko cried out, interrupting everyone's laughter at Shirazu's situation. "Everyone, Ta gueule! Shiragin is dead! We must mourn!"

Haise sighed. "He's not de-"

Saiko interrupted, "He's dead!"

A muffled voice came up from the pile. "I'm not dea-"

"Deaaaaad!" She moaned. Hide and Mutsuki, who had finally reached the living room with his and Saiko's bags, burst out in laughter, and most of the room followed.

"Saiko, I didn't know you spoke french!" Hide laughed. The girl in question whipped her head around to look at Hide in confusion.

"I literally call Maman mom in french?" Saiko's face scrunched up in a physical representation of a question mark.

"Dear god this is going to take some getting used to." Haise mumbled a headache pounding and his head in his hands. In the background, Hide and Saiko had what seemed to be a hilarious conversation in french, Hide only stumbling over every third word.

* * *

"Kaneki…" It was late, and the kids were asleep, along with Miyako. From under a couple comforters and what looked like a rudimentary pillow fort, and long whine of "Nooooo…." came up. Hide laughed quietly

"Up! Up, up, up Kaneki! Everyone's asleep, so we're sneaking out!"

"Nooooooooooooooo…." The sleepy whine replied. Hide smirked and pulled of one of the comforters.

"NOOOOOOOOOO….." The whine came louder.

"Come on, don't make me drag you out!"

"Hide…" The voice returned. "It's fuckity-fucky-fuck at night and I'm tired from being up at fuckity-fucky-fuck in the morning to move everyone in. Let me sleeeeeeeeeeeep." Hide choked on his own laughter.

"Bzzzt! Wrong answer!" Hide then pulled of the rest of the covers revealing a curled up Kaneki.

"Why cruel world." Kaneki whispered. "This is the worst moment of my life." He then paused. "Or at least a close fourth."

"Fourth?" Hide questioned. Kaneki nodded.

"A solid fourth." He sagely, before the both of them erupted into giggles. After a short pause Hide suddenly looked Kaneki dead in the eyes.

"No, but I wasn't kidding. We're sneaking out. It'll be fun!"

Kaneki looked up at him, his eyes pleading for mercy, and Hide just shook his head, smiling. With a sigh, Kaneki got out of bed.

"Go get changed Hide, it's cold out." He said before grabbing a jacket, leggings, and boots. "Also, where are we going at..." he checked a clock on his bed stand, "10:42 at night?"

"Oh, nowhere. Just memory lane."

Kaneki frowned.

* * *

When familiar sights passed by, cool and calm, Kaneki had an idea where they were going. Warm streetlights peered down on the straight road, and the half ghoul could count the homes of the neighbors he knew, and even those he didn't.

"Hide…" His voice came out low and warningly, "What the hell are we doing?"

"Chill fam," Kaneki sputtered, "Just making up for lost time." Hide turned to him smiling, the streetlights illuminating his face, and Hide flowed with happiness. His heart made flips in his chest, and Kaneki turned back his head to the road, his cheeks dusted lightly with a blush.

"Pay attention the road Hide." He muttered. Hide's smiled only got wider and he turned his head back to the road.

The 20th ward had only gotten farther away in his head. A million miles away, Anteiku was a happy dream he couldn't remember. The fight with Arima was a wake up call. Kaneki wasn't strong. He couldn't protect anything. Not the manager, not Irimi, not Koma, not Anteiku. Kaneki fooled himself that he could protect everyone, when he couldn't even protect himself.

As if detecting the unsavory thoughts, Hide's hand snuck around, laying itself upon Kaneki's arm and dragging him back to real life. Hide smiled comfortingly.

"Stay awake Sleeping beauty. We're almost there."

The car slowed to a stop, and Kaneki dragged his eyes open and looked out the car window. Trees. Kaneki turned around questioningly, only for Hide to smile again and get out of the car. Unstrapping himself he opened the door, and Hide grabbed his hand, pulling him out.

"Come on. You'll remember soon enough." Kaneki stumbled on the curb, and tripped right into Hide.

Grabbing him before he fell, Hide laughed at him. "Guess those ghoul powers don't come with balance?"

Kaneki grunted and pulled away blushing, suddenly realizing their position while it seemed that Hide still hadn't.

"Now come on slowpoke, no more tripping."

Kaneki was dragged along through the trees, not knowing where they were going, but also too tired to care.

"Come on Kaneki," Hide whined, "it's only 11:30!" Kaneki whined as well at that.

Soon the duo came upon a clearing and Hide smiled knowingly. Unsure of what was happening, Kaneki stepped through the bushes before gasping.

"Welcome back Ken." Hide whispered. They were back at the playground, where they spent their every free moment.

"Hide…" Overcome with emotion, Kaneki turned around and hugged Hide fiercely. "Thank you…" Kaneki's quiet voice was riddled with minuscule tremors. Surprised, Hide didn't move for a micro second, before quickly moving to hug Kaneki just as fiercely.

After a heartfelt moment, they pulled away, and this time, Kaneki smiled and Hide followed suit.

* * *

Sitting upon a blue plastic whale, laying his head upon his dearest friend's shoulder, and looking at the stars, Kaneki slept without nightmares for the first time in forever.


	10. Omake 1: Muggy Weather

**you guys: we would like another chapter please?**

 **me: yeah me too.**

 **lol i don't deserve reviews and favorites for this piece of shit but they are appreciated greatly.**

* * *

"Be careful Miyako, it's pretty muggy outside today." Haise had gotten back with Hide early this morning. He didn't remember falling asleep but waking up staring up at Hide was more than a little embarrassing. He couldn't get back to sleep when he got back to the chateau, though. So of course he took the opportunity when he saw it, and if he sported another bruise, well it'd just be another one to add to the pile.

"Haise if I go outside and there are _god-fucking-damn coffee cups_ all over I will murder you." Haise turned around, his back facing Miyako and lifted his bowl of coffee to his mouth and sipped quietly. Definitely worth it. The door slammed open as Miyako went outside to make due on her promise, and it bounced back behind her shutting it. His survival instincts kicking in, Haise dropped his bowl of coffee into the sink and ran into the hallway for protection. Not a second later, a tortured scream was heard from outside.

" _HAISE!"_ The man in questioned stifled a laugh and creeped back into his room and locked the door. _Worth it._

He heard the creaking symphony of doors as the residents of the chateau were awakened by Miyako's death threats. He open his door slightly and saw Hide sleepily walk into the hall.

"Hide!" He whisper-yelled. Hide looked this way and that searching for the disembodied voice. "Over here!" Hide narrowed his eyes towards Haise's room.

"Haise come out here so I can kick your ass properly!" Hide made an 'oh' sound as he heard the cat screeching.

"How did you piss off Miyako so early in the morning?" Hide laughed quietly.

"I said it was muggy out." Hide laughed even harder.

"Hey that was my joke from 5th grade!" Haise looked pained.

"Make her not so angry! I would not like to die today, it was so worth it!"


	11. ok take a hint guys jesus

ok hi. umm. im still getting notifications about this story on whether or not its being continued.

its not. sorry.

around chapter 110 or so in the tokyo ghoul re manga, reading the manga or reading/writing fanfiction could put me on the verge of a panic attack. the manga went to a place i couldnt handle and in my own best interests i cut myself off from the fandom.

so yeah. this is never going to be updated again. im not going to saceifice my health for the second time for this story and for the manga.

thanks bye.


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